'93 Q45 chain guides

[green/tan '93 q45]

Folks--what a GREAT site you have!! I've just spent a few hours reading various topics and threads about our 93 q45. Bought it from orig owner in 95 with 29k (he had it in NYC, didn't see a lot of road time there before he shipped it out to San Francisco for job location change) with remainder of warranty, and now has 65k. We live in San Francisco, and services have all been at local dealers, aside from alignments, tires, and more recently brakes (got tired of turning/replacing rotors every 5k, so bought Stillen drilled rotors a few yrs ago, and no probs). My wife is the daily driver for last few yrs (about 5k/yr), hence the low miles. Since I'm now an occasional driver, and after doing the rotors and pads (using Stillen-recommended MetalMasters with their sensors) and living with the "Brake Pads Worn" light on for 1+ yrs (wife didn't mind), I got to your marvelous info site and found the threads explaining that one solution was to go back to the OEM pads with sensors, which I just had done recently, extinguishing the Pads Worn light. Terrific accomplishment (though minor it may be) that would not have happened without your site. Again, a gold mine of info !!

Ah, now to chain guides. We haven't done them that I recall (I'll ck our own records folder), but unk if prior owner had it done, or it was necessary. I mention this latter point bec I noticed one thread that mentioned (I thought) that, in 93, there was a VIN after which the factory had done the fix, in house. So, my current questions are:

1. Is there such a VIN for 93 and, if so, what is it?

2. If there is no such VIN info, can a local dealer tell me, from an "entire warranty history" standpoint, whether this was done (either by prior owner or us--is Infiniti's warranty history info broad enough to include these references, no mattter who was the owner)?

3. If we still need to get it done, can anyone recommend a local independent shop or even preferred dealer for service (driving to T3 in Atlanta seems like a stretch from SF)? I ask about local dealers bec the 2 or 3 I've used have been just "ok," and on occasion have changed hands/personnel. Thus, another forum member's personal experience would be helpful.

Thanks.

[Jesda]

2. If the dealer did the chain guides, it would show. Otherwise, there's no way to tell without removing the front cover.

3. I dont know how far San Diego is from San Fransisco, try Jerry Tucker:http://www.q45.org/resources.html

-Jesda

[PalmerWMD]

Some say late 93 Q's have the updated guides.Much has been written on this site what the cut-off could possibly be.

We even had a VIN after which they were supposed to be safe, its hidden somewhere on this site maybe in the articles section:http://www.nissaninfiniticlub....d=108

But I haven't seen it in a while.

If a very late production 93 (say spring 93 or later) it >could< have the updated guides already.

Fred..

[AZhitman]

You can also cut and splice together the sensor wires, if you want to go back to the MM pads.

[Q451990]

Your best option for an independent to check the guides is Jerry Tucker in San Diego... I know it's a long drive, but closer than Atlanta!

Welcome to NICO! It's good to see some low-mileage early Q's on the board.

http://www.jerrytucker.net/

Heath

[green/tan '93 q45]

Thanks to all who have posted so far, though I'm still on the hunt for the cut-off date or VIN for when the new metal-backed guides were supposedly done at the factory. If anyone can post with that specific info, I'd really appreciate it. In the meantime, I appreciate the recommendation to use the folks in San Diego.

[maxnix]

I don't think there is such a thing. I recall from previous posts that the engines were mated with regard only to how they were configured to the car (active, TCS, CA, Fed, HICAS).

There is no guaranteed date before 1994 model year build that new guides were installed. One must inspect to sleep easily at night or not fear start-up and operation the following day.

[green/tan '93 q45]

Thanks for your post. Sounds like I am , perhaps, hunting an ever-ellusive bit of non-existant info (aka, that rarest of elements, Unobtainium). Still, if the info is anyplace, it's got to be here with a Forum member. I patiently await further responses on the subject.

[Q45tech]

LUMPED IT ALL HERE

To: Q45tech --off topic quesion re chain guides Dear Q45tech--I'm a newbie, but love the site.

Sorry to bother you, but back on 7-30-02, you answered a question about the # of 1st gen Q45s made and a related discussion about there being a VIN after which the new chain guides were installed in 1st gen'ers. The VIN cut-off wasn't mentioned, that I could find. My question is whether you know the VIN, and could kindly provide it to me? Thanks for the help.

might be better to check your build date to narrow down the guides. if i remeber correctly, maybe even some of the very earliest 94's built might have had the old guides!! i'm sure the experts will chime in soon.

In the entire time we been here, we only heard a single case of an early 94, posssibly a fluke or bad info (even tho it came from TeeJay, whom the oldtimers will still remember fondly).

I think its safe to say at this point that all 94s are safe.

The last few months of 93 production likely too.We lost some excellent research on this subject, when we switched from UBB to vbulletins.

I hope we didnt lose that elusive VIN that Professor Mike once posted.

Even though I was sceptical then, but at least it appears after that VIN, old style guides were rare.

[green/tan '93 q45]

My build date is 10/02, making it (I believe) one of the last few months. The info re a possible 94 with old guides could seem to indicate that the change wasn't done until 94, but (as you said) it also could have been a fluke. I await more of the expert's responses. Thanks.

[Jesda]

Good thread, same topic:

http://www.nicoclub.com/forums...uides

[green/tan '93 q45]

That IS a good thread--Thanks, Jesda! Gives me more info, but I'd be interested to find out what one of the poster's boroscope inspection showed on a 7/02 or 9/02 mfgr date. I agree with one of the link's posters that the only way to really know is to pull the front cover to see, but by then you've already got the time invested to just do the guides regardless of what you've found (sort of like undergoing surgery a second time, just to make sure it was done right the first time--althoughthe real difference with that analogy is that,, re surgery, you may have some indicators that something's wrong (via diagnostics), while here we are really trying to just pin-down numbers (year, VIN, date of mfgr) from which to run another bit of risk analysis).

[maxnix]

I think the boroscope investigations were inconclusive in that the guides could not be properly viewed.

[msscomm]

When in Doubt (not debt) Cheat like hell !

Drill a hole in the timing chain cover for a rigid boroscope or finagle a flexible gem in, and view away - then tap an' seal ! You might be able to get a flex scope to skitter over to the proper viewing spot with a less invasive approach - but don’t bet on it - Hopefully your viewing shows minimal cracking/damage -

“You can pay me now . . . OR”

Even if you can view it, unless it has already started to fall to pieces - I have to believe you will only get a nominal bit of inspection vs opening up the cover and cleaning her up for a real close inspection. Anybody have access to laparoscopic equipment auctions - Dr Rex ?

[DAEDALUS]

That's not too terrible an idea, but I would pass on fear the metal shavings might damage the oil pump, or worse, get trapped in a oil passage or bearing somewhere.